Share Our Adventure

The last five years have been the most exciting ones of my career. My colleagues and I have come to appreciate that systems biology not only will revolutionize the practice of biology but also has the power to transform medicine within the next ten years from its current reactive mode to a predictive, preventive, and personalized mode.

The Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) is helping to create the convergences necessary to achieve this revolution by integrating biology with information technology, nanotechnology, and material sciences. Indeed, we are in a position, as a small and flexible institution, to help invent the biological and medical future for the 21st Century—just as the Rockefeller University did for the 20th Century. Remaining small is important because an intimate, highly focused institution enables the creation of a unique scientific culture, and facilitates interactions, technology integrations, and administrative flexibility and efficiency. The potential impact—in the everyday lives of people—challenges the imagination.

To build the financial strength and flexibility essential to this work, the Institute has launched a campaign to raise more than $100 million in private philanthropy by 2009.

The 19th Century was characterized as the century of chemistry, and the 20th was the century of physics. The
21st will be the century of biology and medicine. We believe that during this century, we will unlock their mysteries, transforming our understanding of the human body and discovering ways to predict, cure, and even prevent disease. With your support, ISB will lead the way in this pioneering journey.

Please share the road ahead with us.

Sincerely,

Lee Hood, President